The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-03-12
ISRAEL.

! (24-30.) Because Jacobs prayer that HIS
fife might be preserved from the violent hand
of his wronged brother, prevailed with COP,
he was given new name significant of his
changed character. Jacob, his old name
meant the suppldnter. By deception and
fraud he had supplanted his brother in the
birthright. To this time his whole career
had been marked with craft and shrewdness.
Now, when in great prosperity he is about to
enter upon the promised inheritance, the sin
against his father, whom he had so wickedly
deceived, and his brother whom he had de-
frauded, rises up to torment him. His fears
are great that his brother will destroy him
! and all he possesses. Having done all that
| prudence and cunning could contrive, he re-
sorts to prayer in the extremity of the situa-
ton, and prevails with COP, gaining courage
to meet his approaching brother with humil-
ity and affection, and his life is delivered
from danger by Esau's manifest kindness.
Henceforth he is called Israel, the prince that
prevailed Nth COP. His experience proves
crisis in his life. His spiritual history now
truly begins. His sin that tormented him
was of the soul, and chiefly against COP. He
might not successfully overcome the fury of
his brothers vengeance till he had prevailed
to make his peace with COP. On the other
hand, his fear of Esau might easily be over
come when he became reconciled to COP. A
spiritual regeneration was wrought by bis
prayer. The spiritual conflict that wrought
this change in his experience and finally in
his character is symbolized by the wrestling
that Is described in the second paragraph of
our Lesson.
When Jacob learned that Esau was ap-
preaching, he encamped for the night, and
having made the described preparations for
meeting his brother, he spent the remainder
of the night alone by the ford of the river in
anxious prayer to GoD, who had promised to
protect and bless him as the heir of the
promise made to his fathers. The struggle
of Jacobs troubled soul during the remain
der of that anxiously lonesome night, the
narrator attempts to describe by the wrest-
ling scene. The scene may describe a vision
or dream of Jacob. In either case his spirit |
ual experience is symbolized. The soul is
the true sphere of that wrestling which Sc
cures spiritual blessing. The prophet Hosea |
xii. ~ referring to this scene says, I" He |
Jacob had power with COP: yea, he had |
power over the angel, and prevailed; he wept |
and made supplication unto him. To have |
power and prevail with COP was to have |
power over the angel" The angel was man |
in the scene. The ,Ueepihg and supplicotion |
of the prophet were the ,orestling of the mar
rator. The patriarch's prayer was ,Drest |
ling of his anxious soul with JEHOVAH to be |
delivered from the fear of his brother, to |
escape whose anger he had left his home
more than score of years before.
1t seems to us that the incident is subject
ive an inward struggle in the loneliness of
the early morning, taking form in the mind |
as an actual contest and described as such.
The theory solves every difficulty but the |
wrenching of the sinew of the thigh, and that |
appears to be accounted for by the observa-
tion of DR.. Wolff, who describes the religious
exercises of Dervishes as resembling an actual |
wrestle, and conducted with such vehemence
as actually to dislocate their joints. Jacob
was in a crisis of his life, morally and social
ly. He was " in dead earnest" His prayer
meant something. His whole soul was in it.
Wrestling we'll suggests the anxiety of the
patriarch.-Rev. G. l.. DemGreSt, d. D., S. s.
HELPER, October, 1880.
He Jacob must be made to feel that He
to whom he looks as his Protector, and on
whose prmises he relies, is pure and holy,
and has no pleasure in lying and deceit. The
mighty struggle was that of Cop with the
still resisting evil of his nature: struggle
which cannot be spared any one destined to
high spiritual ends aud conscious of being SO.
His whole past from first to last had been
more or less web of craft and continuing.
He had striven with men and might fatter
himself to have over-reached them; but he
has now to contend with COP. The agony |
was long and terrible through the whole |
darkness of night till the dawn; but it was the |
wrestling of the new higher life with the old |
and evil; the agony of repentance and of |
new birth, and from it he emerged new
man with a new name. 1t was needed that |
he should have such preparation to enter |
Alright on his inheritance, from which only |
the Jordan now divided him.-Geihie, 'Hours |
with the Bible"
COP is said to have blessed Jacob there,
through the attainment of his spiritual ex
perieuce and character which the wrestling
scene describes as having been wrought
through his anxious, earnest prayer. " He
called the name of the place Pencil: for said
he. have seen GoD face to face, and my
life is preserved" To the Hebrews COP
was seen " face to face" when he appeared
unto His servants and revealed His goodness
and declared His will. He appeared in
dreams and visions. by His ministers and in
the providences of life and the experiences of
the soul. To see COP " face to face " is to
hold communion with Him and receive tes-
timonies of His power, wisdom and grace.
Jacob received Divine blessing, and his
life was preserved and the fear of his brother
removed.
Though prayer cannot be substitute for
any other duty, and may not relieve us from
necessities of labor, it still has its grand utl-
tiles in our spiritual uplifting and grace. 1t
may not bring material gifts directly, and
yet bring blessings worth more than all mate
rial gifts. AS in Jacobs case, it may bring
courage, resignation, peace. Whoever fer
vently prays for Divine blessing, and obtains
| comfort spiritual strength, quietness and
assurance of soul, has " seen Con face to
| face" He who earnestly prays will not
faint " under the burden of his experiences.
| DIR. DemdreSt
1lt @endoriarlI.